Swab



April 2l, 1953 s. A. HATcHl-:R ET AL SWAB Filed sept. 8, 195o INVENTORS A. Han-CHU. P. HA'rcHiP.

l l lll/ll /l lll/l l Patented Apr. 21, 1953 s PATENT ori-*lcs SWAB Sarah A. Hatcher and Joe P. Hatcher,

Prescott, Ariz. v

Application september s, 1950,'seria1'No. 188,868 v 1 claim, (c1. 154147) This invention relates to an improved swab, 'particularly but not exclusively for swabbing toilet bowls, the primary object of the invention beinglto provide a, moresanitary, more` easily operatedand moreefcient device of this kind which involves `a `disposable swab head and mechanism which serves both to secure the swab head to a handle and to disconnect or project the swab head from the handle so that manual handling of the swab head after use of the device to dispose of the swab head is eliminated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated above which employs a disposable swab head composed of readily disposable paper and/or cellulose material, and which eliminates the dripping during use, `due to its superior absorbency, which characterizes cloth and other material swab heads. K

Another important object of the invention is to provide a device of theabove indicated character which is composed of a minimum number of j simple and mechanically adequate parts, which can be manufactured in a serviceable and attractive form at relatively low cost.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the inventionwill be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein merely for purposes of illustration herein, a specic embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

l ,In the drawings, wherein like numerals designate likeparts throughout the several views: v

Figure 1` is a side elevation, 'a portion of the mechanism being shown in an operative position in'dctted lines.

"gure 2 is an`enlgargedfragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary longitudinalsection taken on` the line 3- 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the plug.

Figure S is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, of the swab head before being folded and applied to the handle; and

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic View on a reduced scale of the swab arranged for application to the handle.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustratedl device comprises a handle, generally designated 9, consisting of a non-corrosive metal or other suitable material tube Il) having a rela- 2 L tively long .straight portion II and a relatively short portion lI 2 on the low'er end of and directed at an angle :of about 20 relative to the long D01'- tion II, the tube l0 being open at bothends.

The lower part .I3 of the lower tube portion I2 has a longitudinally and laterally outwardly curved fand expanded side wall which renders thepart I3,slightlybulbous.

Within the upper `end part of the lower tube portion I2 and the upper .end part of the upper tube portion II are lower and upper guides Il of similar construction and arrangement. Each guide .I4 preferably comprises, as shown in Fig-j ure 4, a wire bent betweenits ends to provide an eye I5 and crossed arms I6 having lateral terminals I] which aresecured in suitable manner tothe insideof thetop wall ofthe tube `ICI so that theeyes I5 are centered in the .tube Ill,

Slidably extending through the `eyes I5 of. both guides Ill isa flexiblerod, cord, orwire `I8 hav-V ing on its lower end a 'rigid hook I9 and having xed onits upper enda'cross bar 2D, surmounted by-a knob` 2I. The upper part,V of therod la passes freely throughfan axial bore 22 formed in a plug 23, which has areduced cylindrical lower part 24 fitting into the upper endp25A or the tube It and an enlarged cylindrical upper part26 engaged with-the upper end I5 of the tube Hl, as shown inFigure 3. As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the top of the plug 23 is formed with diametrical, right angularly intersecting slots Vor grooves 21 and 28 which open into the bore` 22; The grooves 28 are substantially deeper than the grooves `2'l and both sets of grooves areuformed to receive and positionthe cross bar2'on the upper end of the rod I3,`the depths of the grooves determining the longitudinal position of the rod I8 in the tube l0 in a mannerhereinafter indicated. The rod I8 has a rlrst operative position in, which the hook I9 is forward of theforf ward end 29`of the .bulbous tube portion I3, and the cross bar 20 is in the deeper grooves 28, a second operative position in which the hook I9 is retracted within the lower part of the bulbous portion I3, as shown in Figure 2, and the crossbar 20 is in the shallower grooves 21, and a third operative position in which the rod I8 is further retracted into the dotted line position shown in Figurel, wherein the hook I9 is at a higher level in the bulbous tube portion I3 than shown in Figure 2.

The disposable swab head 30 preferably comprises two outside sheets 3l of cleansing tissue and an intermediate sheet 32 of cellulose cotton, the sheets being in registered and superimposed I3. A second rubber band or the like contractileV band 34 is then circumposed about the free ends or edges of the swab 30 and about .the eadjacent part of the tube portion I2, above the bulbous portion I3, as shown in Figure 2, vso V.as .tohold the swab head in place. The'rod I'B'iis'fthenetracted to its second position wherein the `hook I9 enters the bulbous portion I3, which, as'shown in Figure 2 results in stretching and tensioning the band 33 .and firm contact of the 'swa'bhead 3,0 with and around 'theforward tendi'29 Afoi-'the bulbous tube `portion 13, thereby conditioning-the devicefor use.

'In using the above described device, the 'swab head.30 can 'be dippedin sanitizing solution, and when so wet, applied bymeanso'f vvthe-handle ,9 around the upper .part of a toilet bowl k.or the like to wipe and cleanse the same, and "then to lowerpo'rtions ofthein'teriorioi the `bowl 4or the like., until vlthe 'bowl .is clean. Usually at 'this stage of use lthe yswab"'l1'ea;l*'3l 'has undergone some deterioration which irendersthe 'swab ."head relativelyeasily disintegrated, so 'that the -same Y canjbe readily detached and 'projected l"from the handle "94 simplyby pulling the `rod "I8 upwardly or rearwardly .to its third positionillustrated in do'ttedlinesin Figurel. 'In reaching this-third position .thehok v|19 4"is moved 'upwardly'within the .'bulbous .handle portion .I'3 and theband l33 isstretched 'furtherandreaches a degree oftension which acts 'to pull .lthe .swab "head y3l] isomewhat '.into the `.lower endo'f the bulbous portion I3 and .'fnrwardly on the ibulbous portion I3 whereby `the .upper l.part pl'the swa'b .head 3'0 ris pulled .downwardly .along with the .upper "band 34, and is freedrom'thebulbous handle ,portion I3 lto.;E-all .therefromlinto the 'toiletbowl or other place .of .disposal over .which 'the device `may vbe held while. operating ,therod .'I18 into its third and lnal position. .Should .this .operation .o'f the rod IB Afail to dislodge 'the 'swab '.head 13.0 'additional wetting nf .theswalb head .30 fand working .of 'the same .in the liquid .in .the "howl ,will readily disconnect the .swabhead .from 'the .handle without removal of .the device .from .the bowl.

Upon ydisconnection ...of a 'swabhead 30 "from the. handle n9 the-.bulbousportion I3 .can'be rinsed and then rdried with ordinarytiletitissue. The rinsing and .drying .of the ndevice,renders it 'clean 4 and attractive enough to be hung next to the toilet bowl readily accessible for use, and the device being in a dry and sanitary condition, problems of objectionable odor and dripping, which characterize other devices of this kind and require special storage, are eliminated.

We claim:

In afswab,'a tubularihandle,ianfendwise movcable rod mounted longitudinally within said handle, a hook on one end of said rod and a cross ibar on the opposite end of said rod, a plug on the end of the handle opposite said hook, said A-plug being formed with a bore through which said A.rudifreely extends, a pair of grooves extending acress said plug and intersecting said bore, one of .said grooves being relatively shallow and the bther groove relatively deep, said grooves being arranged to selectively receive said cross bar therein to determine the position of said hook relative tn `theend of said E handle npposite-said plug,. a .exible swab headjhaving anintermediate part .engaged across the .last mentioned .end o'f .thehandlegand .other parts disposedalong sides ofsaidhandle, ,contractile means circumposed .in thehandle andabout .said other vportions of the swa'b headand releasablysecuring the swabLhead in placeand elastic means secured tor saidintermediate part of the .swab vhead and .said hook, said rod being endwise .movable relative .to Vsaid handle ina direction away ,fromsaid lastmen- .tioned endof thehandle., vfromafrst position in which 'said elastic `means is unstretched and said cross 'bar is positioned 'in 'the deeper Vgroove ,in saidv plug, .toa secondpositionin which said cross bar ris 1in .the lshallower grooves in `said plug and said .elastic .means is .stretched 'toy tension .said swabLheadagainstthe adjacent endV of `.thelhandla said rod being movable in the same .direction .to a third positionin which said swabheadisdrawn into saidadjacent end of the "handle in amanner to .freesaid -other parts of the .swab .head ,from said .contractile means `and 'break said .elastic means whereby said .swab head ,is .reed to ial from said handle.

`SARAH A. HATCI-IER.

References ACited Ain the Adie of this `.patent .UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 1185.564 Williams .May 39,'1'916 1,494,171 Kingman May 113, 1'924 1,596,663 'Kirsch Aug.;17, 1926 *1,879,552 Silva Sept. 21,1932 2,301,505 Bates Nov. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 370,776 Greateritain Apr. 14, l1932 

